Manufacture of multicore electric cables



y 1929 c. J. BEAVER 1,711,555

/ MANUFACTURE OF MULTICORE ELECTRIC CABLES Filed March 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l (Zxlas James Beaver y 1929- c. J. BEAVER 1,711,555

MANUFACTURE OF MULTICORE ELECTRIC CABLES Filed March 2, 1927 Sheets-Sheet 2 (/Zarias James cal 0' y 1929- c. .1. BEAVER 1,711,555

MANUFACTURE OF MULTICORE ELECTRIC GABLES Filed March 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I m 521m (zarzes Jeanes Bean? May 7, 1929- c. J. BEAVER MANUFACTURE OF MULTIGORE ELECTRIC CABLES Filed March 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet III/III III/I/I/l/I/ gnoewfoc (Ital Z86 JaJneJjeaJ er MIW .7 M

Patented May 7, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES JAMES 1,711,555 PATENT OFFICE.

BEAVER, OF BOWDEN, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOE TO W. '1. GLOVEB d;

COMIPANY LIMITED OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF MULTICORE ELECTRIC CABLES.

Application filed March 2, 1927, Serial No. 172,181, and in Great Britain March 13 1829.

This invention has reference to the in sulation of electric multi-core cables where the longitudinal interstices between insulated conductors are filled with strips of material of suitable cross section shape and there is an over-all lapping of strips of suitable material. 1

The object of the invention is to fill up the said interstices and all crevices between the insulated conductors, fillings, and lappings with insulating compound in a manner more eflicie'nt than is done by any methods heretofore in use, and a further object is to effect an economy in manufacture.

I construct a machine or combination of machines comprising a laying-u machine, an elongated trough with an ori ce at each end, and a carriage carrying a haul-off wheel and receiving drums, combined and arranged to enable the twisted conductors emanating from the laying-up machine to pass through the trough via the said orifices, and to the haul-01f wheel and re- 2 ceiving drum in a continuous operation. Means are provided for rotating the carriage carrying the haul-oflt' wheel and receiving drums and the laying-u machine, on an axis in line with the ori ces of the trough at relative speeds, that of the laying-up machine being faster or slower than that of the carriage to the degree necessary to secure the required pitch of the lay of the insulated conductors, and for positively driving the haul-01f wheel and if desired pay-out drums, and providing for the required variation of speed thereof.

In carrying my invention into effect a special arrangement of gears are provided to control drums carrying circular insulated conductors, and which are prevented irom rotating relative to the haul-off wheel and receiving drum.

In the accompanying drawings an example of machinery for giving effect to, and

constituting, my invention is illustrated, the machine being arraged to lay up three circular insulated conductors.

Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are four diagrammatic drawings to illustrate respectively the osition and movements of drums in the layin -up machine relatively to the haulofi' w eel.

,Figures 1 and 2 show the relative positions of the haul-ofi wheel and of the drums guide leading the insulated conductors toin the laying-up machine in two relative positions of the carriages of such wheel and drums when the machine is arranged to lay-up circular conductors. It will be seen that the planes of the haul-ofi' wheel and the drums remain parallel. Figures 3 and 4 show the relative positions of the same wheel and drums in like positions of the carriages when the machine is arranged to lay-up conductors of other cross section shape. It will be seen that the, planes through the centre of the drums are radial in relation to the axis of rotation of the carriage.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, Figure 6 an end view and Fig. 7 a plan view of the combination. Figure 8 is a vertical section (on an enlarged scale through the re?- volving plate hereinafter referred to. Figure 9 is a section through the revolving end of the trough. Figure 10 is a vertical section of the rear end of the carriage of the layingup machine. Figure 11 is a vertical section through the end of the haul-off carriage adjacent to the trough.

a a are two girders running the whole length of and supporting the machine, a a a, a and a are vertical frames bolted to the girders a a supporting the apparatus.

I will describe the three arts of the combination, the laying-up mac ine, the trough, and the receiving apparatus seriatim, and firstly the laying-up machine.

6 is a hollow shaft rotating in bearings supported by the vertical frames a and a; b is a wheel rigidly. mounted on the shaft 6; b is a circularmember also rigidly mounted on the shaft 6; and b are three rotatable frames journalled in perforated bosses formed-on the wheel 6 and circular member 6 b are three drums carried on spindles rotating in bearings carried by the frames 1); b is a circular member rigidly fixed to the shaft b with suitably disposed holes therethrough to act as a preliminary 100 gether with the fillings to the point of convergence; b is a tubular shaft mounted loosely on the said shaft b; b is a pinion rigidly secured to the frame a, engaging a pinion freely mounted on a shaft carried by the wheel 6 which in turn engages a pinion b rigidly mounted on a shaft I) rotating in bearings carried b the wheel b 6 is another pinion rigi 1y mounted no on the last mentioned shaft and which engages a pinion b" secured for rotation to the hollow shaft'b; and 6 is a bevel pinion secured for rotation to the shaft b which engages bevel pinions b respectively rigidly mounted on the axles of the frames 6 The number of teeth on the respective pinions issuch that, (notwithstanding the rotating of the shaft 6 and the members rigidly secured thereto, is at a speed Varying from that of the carriage of the haulolf wheel and receiving drum), the frames 1) and the drums 6 always remain in planes having the same relationship to the plane of the haul-ofi wheel.

There are six spools fixed to the circular member 11 carrying strips of filling material, (two for each outer space between the insulatedconductors) of which five b b, b and two others are shown in the illustrations. The filling for the centre space 1S fed through the centre of hollow shaft 6. 0 is an elongated trough supported on feet 0 having a central hole in the end 0 (see Figure 9). o -is a circular member fitting the hole in the end 0 and arranged to rotate, and is fixed for rotation to the shaft 6. Through this circular end are suitably disposed holes for the insulated conductors and strips of filling to pass to their converging point at the laying-up die. 0 are guides with suitably shaped holes to guide the conductors through the trough, 0 are lapping heads from which strips of insulation material are being unwound and lapped on the conductors and fillings, and c is a bellmouthed laying up die (see Figure 9).

d is a rotatable carriage with journals d rotating in bearings supported by the vertical frames a and 03, d is the haul-ofi wheel, d a secondary haul-off or fleeting wheel and d" the receiving drum. The wheels (5 and 03 are mounted rigidly and the drum (i through afriction device on spindles rotating in bearings supported by v the frame.

The spindles carrying the drums d (2 and a? are respectively driven by pinions d, d and d rigidly mounted thereon and having skew teeth, the shafts (Z and d". provided with worms respectively engaging the skew teeth, pinions (1 (one only shown) rigidly mounted on shafts d and d pinions d (one shown) freely mounted on trunnions 03 (one shown) projected from wheel 6 hereinafter referred to, and engaging the pinion 03 rigidly secured to the frame a The mounting of the drum al through a friction device is so as to allow the required amount of slip to accommodate to the ever enlarging diameter of the winding surface as the drum gathers up the cable.

The combination is driven b the motor e through the pinions e a, she e, pinions e and e and shafts e and e. The carriage of the haul-oil wheel and receiving drums is driven from the shaft 6 through sprocket wheel 6 chain c", and sprocket wheel 6 which is rigidly mounted on a hollow trunnion or journal projected from the carriage d. The laying-up machine is driven from the shaft 6 through sprocket wheel 7, chain f, and sprocket wheel f which is rigidly mounted on shaft 6. The shaft 6 and parts fixed thereto and the carriage d are made to rotate at the required different speeds by varying the sizes of the pinions e and 6 g are three insulated conductors unwinding from drums I), g is the cable comprising the laid-up conductors and fillings and g is the cable with the outside lapping thereon. It and ]L2 are band brakes operated by levers it.

By means of the apparatus described the insulated conductors can be laid up with strips of absorbent material, filling up the interstices between the conductors, and can be passed into a trough of molten insulating material, and while immersed the over-all layer of insulation can be laid on, and that all in one operation, and in a continuous operation for the full length of the cable; further air and gases are excluded from the interstices, fillings, and over-all insulation more effectively than by any method heretofore in use, and much economy in Working is efiected.

The invention is equally applicable for cables whether the spaces between the conductors, and between the conductors and outside lapping, are filled with fibrous material such as paper saturated with insulation compound, or non-fibrous material such as bitumen.

What I claim is 1. Apparatus for the purpose of manufacturing multi-core electric cables, comprisin in combination, an elongated trough adapted to contain liquid electric insulating material and having alignedholes through opposite ends, a laying-up machine located at one end of the trough, and a haul-off and receivin machine, located at the other end thereo said laying-up machine being provided with means for concurrently paying out and feeding to said trough, insulated conductors and strips of filling material, and said haul-off and receiving machines being each mounted on a rotating carriage, said carriages having their axes in alignment with the holes in the ends of the trough and means whereb the carriages are rotated at different spee s.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the driving mechanism for the layingup and hauling-off machines comprise two rotatable shafts, respectively parallel to the axis of said machines, a third rotatable shaft parallel to the said two shafts and overlapping each of them, operatively connected to a source of power, pinions mounted on said. third shaft, en r g with inions on the said two shafts a ii d the layiiig-up and hauling-off carriages, all the elements being so constructed and disposed that the carriages may be rotated at diflerent pre-determined speeds.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, and comprising a trough having a rotatable end adjacent the laying-up carriage, with holes. through said end for the passage therethrough of insulated conductors and strips, to a point of convergence within said trough, said rotatable end being attached to and rotating with the carriage of the laying up machine.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, and with means for maintaining the said drums of the laying up machine in parallel relationship with that of the haul-off wheel.

5. Apparatus for the purpose of manufacturing multi-core electric cables, comprising,

in combination, an elongated trough-adapted to contain liquid electric insulating material and having aligned holes through opposite ends, a laying up machine located at one end of the trough, and a haul-off and receiving machine, located at the other end thereof, said la up machine being provided with means or concurrently paying out and feeding to said trough, insulated conductors and strips of insulating filling material, and said haul-off and receiving machines being each mounted on a rotating carriage, said carriages having their axes in alignment with the holes in the ends of the trough, means whereby the carria es are rotated at different speeds and means or regulating the relative speed of the carriages.

' In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES JAMES BEAVER. 

